Stocking



(No Model.)

G. A. WHITE. STOCKING.

No: 450,655 Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

Q vitweoae o 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

."GEORGE A. \VHITE, OE BOSTON; MASSACHUSETTS;

STOCKING.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Qatent 'No. 450,655, dated April 21, 1891. Applioetionfiled March 10, 1886. Renewed September 29, 1890. Serial No. 336,465. (No specimens.)

Z'o alZ 467mm it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnoncn A. WHITE, of Boston,in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stockings, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to stockings, and has for its object to so. improve the form of the heel of a stocking or sock that the same may fit the foot of the wearer more smoothly and perfectly than the stockings or socks now commonly in use, and atlthe same time avoid the eyelet-holes usually found in machine knit stockings at the center points at the sides of the heels To this end my invention consists in a stocking or sock having a heel constructed as I hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, is a side view of a stocking having a heel constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the manufacture of my improved stocking I knit the leg of the same in any'approved manner, preferably on a circularknitting machine, beginning at the top and knitting downward. At the point e I commence the formation of the heel, and'this may beaccomplished by throwing .up and out of operation all of the needles from the point f to this point 9 and around to a point corresponding to that marked f on the opposite side of thestocking. Then by reciprocating the cylinder and operating mechanism of the machine in a way so well known to knitting artisans as not to require explanation here I preferably knit a gusset or gore it between the points 6 i d by rapidly widening or bringing into operation additional needles at each reciprocationof' the operating mechanism of the machine. I then form what may be designated a second gore or gusset by bringinginto operation all of "the needles on each side of the machine required to knit from the point d to the point is (which latter point is usually about eight or ten stitches beyond the center point of the knitted tube, of which the stocking is formed) and knitting back and forth once, forming two rows of stitches. I then throw out of opstation the needles holding the stitches from 'the center point Z'to point 7:: and proceed to knit what is known as a bulge-heel in Ithen knit two courses from the point n to point 70, as I (lid before commencing to knit the bulge part of the heel indicated by the lines between the points j l n,then throw-' ihg out of operation the needles employed to knit between the pointand point b. Next by a narrowing process I knit a gore .01 ansset oibetween the points c by; a-. After completing the goreorgusset I bring intooperation all of the needles and knita tube for the foot to the line (1 u 0', when I preferably knit a bulge-toe s in swell-known manner and complete the stockin by joining the lines (1 u t by crocheting or ot erwise.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention in the formation of the heel of my improved stocking to the particulargores above described, as the essential feature of novelty of niyinvention consists in aseamless heel formed of gores above and below the central or gore meeting line a:, running from or near the point mat the outside middle partor apex of the heel toward the instep, said gores extending toor near the point Io, which is about midway betweenthe point E at the centers of the leg and foot parts of the stocking and the front or instep point got the stocking. By

forming the extended heel-gores both above and below the'central or gore meeting line a; a fulh heel is secured-whensaid gores are properlyproportloned, which'brings the foot part of the stocking so nearly to a right angle to the leg part thereof as to prevent any 'wrinklingofthe'stocking either at the instep or above the heel, and, moreover, by extending the gores to or near what may be termed the three-quarter point k the heel is sufficiently full, and is so fitted to the heel of the wearer as to prevent it from working downnnder the foot.

In knitting the heel I may or may not, as circumstances or taste may require, employ an additional thread, or a thread of a larger size or number, or a thread differing from that employed in knitting the remainder of Ice BEST AVAILABLE COPY 2 amass to courses beyond the said center point, thereby permitting the strain usually brought on one or two needles at the center point to be dis tribnted on all of the needles holding the stitches between the points Z and 713.

thrown npor outof operation in "the formation ot the heel of my improved stocking always retain and hold the loops which they may have on them when thrown out, so that of.

20 when again thrown in the knitting will proceed continuously, and the heel, when completed,will he one entire seamless or integral piece of knit fabric and also knit seamless or integral with the leg and foot portions of the 25 stocking, thus requiring no subsequent sewing orcrochetingto complete the stocking at theheel. 1 r

} lam aware that itis oldto form the heel portion of stog king by knitting into the 0 stocking a sing? large tapering piece or gore composed of a series of short rows of varying lengths and one or more rows or continuous rounds of stitch es in the middleof said taper ing piece, the series of short rows above the 3, 5 continuous rounds gradually increasing in length and the series of short rows below the continuous rounds gradually decreasing in length, the apex of the tapering, piece or gore being in effect located beyond the center o point of the leg and heel and bet-weentlie' said point and the insteppoint; but a stocking having this single tapering piece or gore v at its heel portion did not have sufiicient fullness at the heel to prevent wrinkling at 5 the instep-point when being "V01'l1,&tl1ii on ac= count of not properly-fitting the heel would workdown under the foot of thewvearert V I am also aware that it is old to form the heel point of the leg and foot parts of the stock It will be understoodthat the needles l\[arch,1886. eta: stocking of a tapering piece origore, the x 5o apex of which extends forward ot'the center ing piece, the points of said last-named gores extending to'the instep-point and the meeting edges thereof in advance of the said tapering piece being knitted together; but a stocking thus made had too much fullness at the ankle, and it the heel were re-e'nforced, as is necessary in order to secure proper durability, the trouble occasioned by the wrinkling would be still further increased: In my improved stocking, with the gores above and below the line as and extending to or near the three-qnarter point "In, all di ficulty from wrinkling at the'v ankle or instep, parts is avoided and such. a full and perfectly-fitting heel is formed as eifectually prevents the stocking from working down 'nnder' the footof the wearer. I

hat I claim 'is Y r a y Y 7 1. A stocking havinga seamless heel coir strncted of'a bulge portion j lit ofnsnal form Q and having gusset-s, or gores above and below saidbnlge portion, said gussets or gores extending to a point k, which is ab ut midway between the center point Z and the insteppoint g or front of the stocking, and: being tionvconstru'ct-ed of a bulge portion j l a of knitted together on the meeting line of their usual form and havinggussets or gores between the points ctk Z j and is n cl) above and below said bulge portiomand the gussets orgores h and obetween thepoints 6 fi d and c b a 2) above and below the first-named gussets or gores, substantially as set forth.

3. A stocking or sockhaving a seamless I heel formed of ores above and below a oremeeting line running from, at, or near the apex or middle oi the heel toward the instep, said gores extending to or near a three-gnanter pointk, which is about midway between-- the centers-0t the leg andfoot parts of. the garment andthe-instep-point or-front of the stocking,substantially as set forth.

In'testimo'ny whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of twosubscrihing witnesses this 2d day of (some in ne. I 

